Method and apparatus to facilitate network processes

ABSTRACT

One determines ( 101, 102 ) that a given wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location (using, for example, an 802.16(e)-compatible protocol) at a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the platform and at a time when the platform should conduct at least one of an authenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process. In response to such determinations, one then automatically provides ( 103 ) to the platform, as part of updating the network location for the platform, an indication (such as, for example, a downlink traffic pending (DTP) flag) that the platform has pending downlink traffic notwithstanding that there is, in fact, no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform. Subsequent to this, one can then automatically cause ( 104 ) the platform to effect at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to networked communications and moreparticularly to either of authenticator relocation processes andInternet Protocol address renewal processes.

BACKGROUND

Communications via and with a network comprise a well-understood area ofendeavor. Such communications can include both end-user bearer contentas well as system-based communications. Examples of the latter caninclude, but are certainly not limited to, authenticator relocationprocesses and Internet Protocol address renewal processes.

Idle mobile stations are typically required to renew their idle modestate and corresponding idle mode configuration (including, for example,their Internet Protocol address(es), security keys, and so forth) fromtime to time by transmitting periodic location updates to the network.Some of these idle mode configurations (as such, but not limited to,paging controller information, foreign agent information, anchorauthenticator information, and so forth) are subject to mobility-basedchanges on the part of mobile end-user platforms. In these regards amobile station is typically required to assume an active state in orderto perform the respective procedures to maintain their idle modere-entry state. This can relate, for example, to such processes asdynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) renewal, authenticatorrelocation, mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) re-binding, and so forth.

Unfortunately, as a general rule, the mobile station is not aware ofcorresponding network topology and further cannot detect changes intheir foreign agent and/or authenticator (as the latter are nottypically broadcast). Compounding this situation is that the existingNetwork Working Group (NWG) v.2.1 specification does not provideguidance regarding when a network should perform authenticatorrelocation or data path relocation (for example, via foreign agent-homeagent re-binding) when a change in the mobile station's foreignagent/Data Path Function (FA/DPF) is detected. Accordingly, when a givennetwork does decide to perform, for example, FA/DPF or authenticatorrelocation, the network pages the mobile station to bring the mobilestation to an active state to thereby enable performing an InternetProtocol address refresh, authenticator relocation, and so forth. Such aprocedure can consume, in some application settings, upwards of 730milliseconds. When such procedures are not performed, however, this canlead to considerable supplemental delay and/or loss of data during idlemode re-entry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of themethod and apparatus to facilitate network processes described in thefollowing detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunctionwith the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 5 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioningof some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative toother elements to help to improve understanding of various embodimentsof the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements thatare useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are oftennot depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of thesevarious embodiments of the present invention. It will further beappreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described ordepicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in theart will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence isnot actually required. It will also be understood that the terms andexpressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as isaccorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in thetechnical field as set forth above except where different specificmeanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, one candetermine that a given wireless mobile two-way communications platformis updating its network location (using, for example, an802.16(e)-compatible protocol) at a time when there is no downlinktraffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform and one can also determine that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform should conduct at least one of an authenticatorrelocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process. Inresponse to such determinations, one can then automatically provide tothe wireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updatingthe network location for the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform, an indication (such as, for example, a downlink trafficpending (DTP) flag) that the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform has pending downlink traffic notwithstanding that there is, infact, no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform.

Subsequent to this, one can then automatically cause the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform to effect at least one of theauthenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol addressrenewal process.

By one approach, determining that this platform should conduct anauthenticator relocation process and/or an Internet Protocol addressrenewal process can comprise detecting a network topological change ascorresponds to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.

So configured, those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciatethat when the mobile station re-enters the network in response to theindication of pending downlink traffic, the network can and will thentrigger authenticator relocation and/or foreign agent relocation as perthe stipulations of NWG v.1.3. It will further be appreciated that theseprocedures such as authenticator relocation and Internet Address renewalcan be accomplished for an idle-mode mobile station without requiringinitiation of a paging procedure as presently occurs in the prior art.This, alone, can assist in avoiding upwards of 250 milliseconds oflatency in these regards. These teachings notably can achieve thesebenefits by leveraging existing messages and defined bits to triggerthese higher level functions thereby avoiding a need to introduce newmessages into existing systems.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thoroughreview and study of the following detailed description. Referring now tothe drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, an illustrative process 100that is compatible with many of these teachings will now be presented.This process can be carried out, for example, by an Authenticator or apaging controller network component in an Access Services Network (ASN).

This process 100 includes the step 101 of determining that a wirelessmobile two-way communications platform is updating its network locationat a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform. (As used herein, it will beunderstood that the expression “downlink traffic” is limited to payloadcontent and does not include control signaling or other traffic thatcomprises and supports the signaling protocol(s) of the network itself.)Such updating can be expected to occur from time to time. Thisdetermination can be based upon a direct reception of such an update orcan comprise indirect information based upon reception of such an updateby another network element. When relying upon indirect information,these teachings will accommodate using a pull-based approach and/or apush-based approach to arrange for the availability of the indirectinformation.

This process 100 also includes the step 102 of determining that thewireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at leastone of an authenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocoladdress renewal process. The determination that the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform should conduct an authenticatorrelocation process can be based upon detecting that the mobile two-waycommunications platform has moved to a network location that is handledby a different authenticator. The determination that the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform should conduct an Internet Protocoladdress renewal process can comprise, for example, detecting a networktopological change as corresponds to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform. An example of such a topological change cancomprise moving into a network area serviced by a new the foreign agentor a different VLAN.

Step 103, in turn, provides for responsively automatically providing tothe wireless mobile two-way communications platform an indication thatthe wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlinktraffic notwithstanding that there is no downlink traffic to provide tothe wireless mobile two-way communications platform. By one approach,for example, this can comprise using a downlink traffic pending (DTP)flag as comprises a part of updating the network location as per priorart practice in this regard.

By one approach, this indication can be provided as a part of updatingthe network location for the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform. These teachings will accommodate a variety of approaches inthese regards. By one approach, and without intending any limitations inthese regards, this can comprise updating the network location in amanner that is compatible with an 802.16(e)-compatible protocol. (Asused herein, the word “compatible” will be understood to refer to anability to successfully interact with another element using a commonlyshared and understood communications protocol.)

Using an optional step 104 as desired, this process 100 can then also,subsequent to indicating that the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform has pending downlink traffic, automatically cause the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform to effect at least one of theauthenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol addressrenewal process. By one approach, and again without intending anyparticular limitations in these regards, this can comprise using atleast one of a client mobile Internet Protocol (CMIP) process and aproxy mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP)-compatible rebinding process asare known in the art.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-describedprocesses are readily enabled using any of a wide variety of availableand/or readily configured platforms, including partially or whollyprogrammable platforms as are known in the art or dedicated purposeplatforms as may be desired for some applications. Referring now to FIG.2, an illustrative apparatus 200 embodying such a platform will beprovided.

This apparatus 200 can comprise, for example, an authentication servingnode though other possibilities exist in these regards. Those skilled inthe art will recognize and understand, for example, that the describedfunctionality of this apparatus 200 can be consolidated and integratedwith a multi-function platform or can be distributed over multipleplatforms if desired. Such architectural options are generally wellunderstood in the art.

This apparatus 200 generally comprises a controller 201 that operablycouples to a network interface 202. This network interface 202 serves tooperably couple the controller 201 to one or more networks 203 (such as,but not limited to, the Internet, any of a variety of wide area and/orlocal area networks (including both wireless and non-wireless networks),and so forth) and hence to one or more wireless mobile two-waycommunications platforms 204, 205. Such network interfaces are wellknown in the art. As these teachings are not overly sensitive to anyparticular selection in this regard, for the sake of brevity and thepreservation of clarity, further elaboration in this regard will not bepresented here.

Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that such acontroller 201 can comprise a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or cancomprise a partially or wholly programmable platform. All of thesearchitectural options are well known and understood in the art andrequire no further description here. This controller 201 can beconfigured (using, for example, corresponding programming as will bewell understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more ofthe steps, actions, and/or functions described herein. This cancomprise, for example, configuring the controller 201 to determine thata wireless mobile two-way communications platform 204 is updating itsnetwork location at a time when there is no downlink traffic to provideto the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, to determinethat the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conductat least one of an authenticator relocation process and an InternetProtocol address renewal process, and in response to the foregoing,automatically provide to the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform, as part of updating the network location for the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform, an indication that the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink trafficnotwithstanding that such is not, in fact, the case.

Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that such anapparatus 200 may be comprised of a plurality of physically distinctelements as is suggested by the illustration shown in FIG. 2. It is alsopossible, however, to view this illustration as comprising a logicalview, in which case one or more of these elements can be enabled andrealized via a shared platform. It will also be understood that such ashared platform may comprise a wholly or at least partially programmableplatform as are known in the art.

So configured, a wireless mobile two-way communications platform can beguided into accomplishing either or both of the aforementioned tasks ina manner that well accommodates existing supported functionality andthat avoids the challenges posed by prior art approaches in theseregards. Generally speaking, these teachings serve to determine that awireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its networklocation and also determining that this wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform should conduct at least one of authenticatorrelocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process.Then, in response to the foregoing, these teachings generallyautomatically provide to the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform (as part of updating the network location for the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform) a non-page-based message tothereby place the wireless mobile two-way communications platform into astate that will operationally support conducting at least one of theauthenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol addressrenewal process.

In the particular embodiments described above, this non-page-basedmessage can comprise an indication that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform has pending downlink traffic (even though nosuch downlink traffic actually exists). Such an approach can beparticularly useful and effective in many application settings becausereceipt of such an indication is already supported and further becausethe follow-up corresponding behavior of the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform upon receiving such an indication will fullycomport with the actions that will lead to undertaking and completingthe processes that should be conducted.

For the sake of illustration and certainly with no intent to suggest anyspecific limitations with respect to these teachings, some more-detailedexamples will now be presented. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat these examples do not constitute an exhaustive presentation of allpossibilities in these regards.

EXAMPLE 1

Referring now to FIG. 3, one particular approach to re-entry duringrelocation will be described. In this example, the presumed initialconditions are that a serving base station (BS) is provisioned withpaging groups under paging group 1 (PG1) (where PG1 is located in aserving anchor authentication serving node-gateway (ASN-GW)) and where atarget base station is provisioned with page group 10 (PG10) (which islocated in a target ASN-GW). It is also presumed that PG1 and PG10 areprovisioned as inter-vendor neighboring ASN's.

In this example, a mobile station (MS) moves from the serving basestation to the target base station. The mobile station sends an RNG-REQmessage 301 to the target base station comprising a location update thatpresents PG1 as its paging group identifier. The target base station, inresponse, transmits to the target ASN-GW an LU_Req message 302 that alsopresents the paging group identifier as PG1.

The target ASN-GW detects that the paging group will/should change andalso that the DPF and authenticator for this mobile station hasrelocated. In accordance with these teachings this prompts the targetASN-GW to relocate the paging group, DPF, and authenticator for thismobile station.

First, the target ASN-GW conducts an exchange of messages 303 with theserving anchor ASN-GW. One of these messages is an LU_Req message thatidentifies the anchor relocation destination as PG10. The reply from theserving anchor ASN-GW comprises an LU_Rsp message that identifies theanchor paging group identifier as being PG10 and that accepts the anchorrelocation request. This message can also fetch the authenticationcontext required to validate the user at the target base station. Thetarget ASN-GW then transmits an LU_Rsp message 304 to the target basestation to indicate the (untrue) representation that there is existingpending downlink traffic (by setting, in this example, the downlinktraffic pending bit to “1”), to set the anchor paging group identifierto PG10, and to provide the authentication context containing securitykeys relevant at the target base station.

In response, the target base station derives the correspondingkey-encrypting-key (KEK) and complex multiple accumulator (CMAC)information at 305 and then validates the CMAC results for RNG-REQpurposes at 306. Following this, the target base station transmits anRNG-RSP message 307 to the mobile station to present a location updatethat includes changing the paging group to paging group 10 and thepaging group identifier to PG10, and to also indicate (falsely) thatthere is pending downlink traffic. In this example, the target basestation also transmits a CMAC key count update message 308 to the targetASN-GW (which prompts the latter to transmit a corresponding CMAC keycount update message 309 to the serving anchor ASN-GW) and an LU_Cnfmessage 310 to the target ASN-GW to indicate the successful updating ofthe paging group to PG10 (which prompts the target ASN-GW to transmit acorresponding LU_CNF message 311 to the serving ASN-GW to indicate thatsuccess).

As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the mobilestation, upon receiving the aforementioned indication in the locationupdate that there is pending downlink traffic will perform networkre-entry at the target base station in order to make itself available toreceive that downlink content. This will generally comprise idle modere-entry 312, network initiated authenticator relocation followed by are-authentication procedure 313, and network initiated Internet Protocoladdress renewal (via, for example, CMIP/PMIP re-binding as is wellunderstood in the art) 314.

EXAMPLE 2

Referring now to FIG. 4, in this example, the functionality of theaforementioned ASN-GW's is distributed over corresponding routers andPaging Controllers. As the mobile station moves from base station 1A tobase station 2A the mobile station transmits a RNG_REQ message 401 tobase station 2A (i.e., the target base station) which prompts the latterto transmit a context request message 402 (presenting the paging groupidentifier as being paging group 1 as corresponds to base station 1A) toa Paging Controller/Data Path Function (PC2/DPF2) associated with basestation 2A. This, in turn, prompts the latter to exchange messages 403with a Paging Controller/Data Path Function (PC1/DPF1) associated withbase station 1A to present the context request and to receive acorresponding context report. The PC2/DPF2 then transmits a contextreport in a message 404 to base station 2A and, in response, basestation 2A transmits a context acknowledgement message back to thePC2/DPF2. If desired, the PC2/DPF2 can also transmit a contextacknowledgement message (not shown) to the PC1/DPF1.

Base station 2A then again derives 406 the corresponding KEK and CMACvalues, validates 407 the CMAC value for RNG_REQ, and transmits alocation update request 408 to the PC2/DPF2 that identifies the newpaging group as being paging group 10 (as corresponds to base station2A).

The PC2/DPF2 now determines that authenticator relocation is requiredand detects as well that the paging group for this mobile station haschanged and that DPF relocation is required. As a result, the PC2/DPF2now triggers 409 PMIP registration with the router that serves asforeign agent FA2 and the corresponding home agent (HA) and also selects410 the new paging group to be paging group 10.

PC2/DPF2 now transmits a location update RSP message 411 to base station2A to set the new paging group value to paging group 10 and to alsoindicate (falsely) that the mobile station has pending downlink traffic(by setting, for example, the downlink data pending bit to “1”). Basestation 2A responds by sending a RNG_RSP message 412 to the mobilestation to update the paging group information and to provide thatpending downlink traffic indication. Base station 2A can also transmit aCMAC key count update message 413 to the PC2/DPF2 which will prompt thelatter to then transmit a corresponding message 414 to PC1/DPF1.

Referring now to FIG. 5, when the mobile station detects theaforementioned downlink pending traffic indication it will performnetwork re-entry at base station 2A. Accordingly, for example, themobile station can transmit a ranging message 501 to base station 2Acomprising RNG_REQ content. This will prompt base station 2A to transmita context request message 502 to the PC2/DPF2 (which will then prompt acorresponding exchange 503 of context request and context reportmessages between the PC2/DPF2 and PC1/DPF1). The PC2/DPF2 will thentransmit the context report (comprising, for example, full mobilestation context information) in a corresponding message 504.

The base station 2A can then derive 505 the KEK and CMAC values andvalidate 506 the CMAC value for RNG_REQ purposes following which basestation 2A can transmit a context acknowledgement message 507 to thePC2/DPF2 and a ranging response message 508 comprising an RNG_RSPresponse to the mobile station. Base station 2A can also transmit a CMACkey count update message 509 to the PC2/DPF2 (the latter then respondingby transmitting a corresponding CMAC key count update message 510 to thePC1/DPF1).

To trigger authenticator relocation (when desired), the PC2/DPF2 cantransmit a relocation notify message 511 to the PC1/DPF1. Upon receivingan acknowledgement message 512 from the PC1/DPF1, the PC2/DPF2 transmitsa reauthentication request message 513 (comprising, for example, anextension authentication protocol (EAP) start message) to base station2A. This will trigger a corresponding exchange of messages 514 betweenthe mobile station and base station 2A following which base station 2Awill transmit a reauthentication response message 515 to the PC2/DPF2(to indicate, for example the successful completion of the EAPactivity).

The PC2/DPF2 can then transmit a relocation confirmation message 516 tothe PC1/DPF1 and receive a corresponding acknowledgement message 517therefrom. An accounting start message 518 is then transmitted to anauthentication, authorization, and accounting network element with acorresponding acknowledgement message 519 being transmitted to thePC1/DPF1.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety ofmodifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect tothe above described embodiments without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, andcombinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventiveconcept. As but one example in these regards, the described approach canbe used, if desired, to move a mobile station from an idle state to anactive mode whenever a determination is made that the mobile stationshould be brought to an active mode for any reason and not only inresponse to the described triggers of determining that the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of anauthenticator relocation process or an Internet Protocol address renewalprocess.

1. A method comprising: determining that a wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform is updating its network location at a time whenthere is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform; determining that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform should be brought to an active mode; in responseto the foregoing, automatically providing to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform, as part of updating the network location forthe wireless mobile two-way communications platform, an indication thatthe wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlinktraffic notwithstanding that there is no downlink traffic to provide tothe wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein determining that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform should be brought to an active mode comprisesdetermining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platformshould conduct at least one of: an authenticator relocation process; anInternet Protocol address renewal process.
 3. The method of claim 2wherein determining that the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform should conduct at least one of an authenticator relocationprocess and an Internet Protocol address renewal process comprisesdetecting a network topological change as corresponds to the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform.
 4. The method of claim 2 whereinupdating the network location for the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform comprises updating the network location in amanner that is compatible with an 802.16e/m-compatible protocol.
 5. Themethod of claim 4 wherein automatically providing to the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform an indication that the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic comprisesusing a downlink traffic pending (DTP) flag as comprises a part ofupdating the network location.
 6. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising: subsequent to indicating that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform has pending downlink traffic, automaticallycausing the wireless mobile two-way communications platform to effect atleast one of the authenticator relocation process and the InternetProtocol address renewal process.
 7. The method of claim 6 whereineffecting the Internet Protocol address renewal process comprises usingat least one of a client mobile Internet Protocol (CMIP) and proxymobile Internet Protocol (PMIP)-compatible rebinding process.
 8. Anapparatus comprising: a network interface; a controller operably coupledto the network interface and configured to: determine that a wirelessmobile two-way communications platform is updating its network locationat a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform; determine that the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of:an authenticator relocation process; an Internet Protocol addressrenewal process; in response to the foregoing, automatically provide tothe wireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updatingthe network location for the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform, an indication that the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform has pending downlink traffic notwithstanding that there is nodownlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein thecontroller is further configured to determine that the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform should conduct at least one of anauthenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocol addressrenewal process by detecting a network topological change as correspondsto the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured toupdate the network location for the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform by updating the network location in a mannerthat is compatible with an 802.16e-compatible protocol.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured toautomatically provide to the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform an indication that the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform has pending downlink traffic by using a downlink trafficpending (DTP) flag as comprises a part of updating the network location.12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to, subsequent to indicating that the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform has pending downlink traffic, automaticallycause the wireless mobile two-way communications platform to effect atleast one of the authenticator relocation process and the InternetProtocol address renewal process.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 whereinthe controller is further configured to effect the Internet Protocoladdress renewal process by using at least one of a client mobileInternet Protocol (CMIP) and proxy mobile Internet Protocol(PMIP)-compatible rebinding process.
 14. A method comprising:determining that a wireless mobile two-way communications platform isupdating its network location; determining that the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform should conduct at least one of: anauthenticator relocation process; an Internet Protocol address renewalprocess; in response to the foregoing, automatically providing to thewireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updating thenetwork location for the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform, a non-page-based message to thereby place the wireless mobiletwo-way communications platform into a state that will operationallysupport conducting at least one of the authenticator relocation processand the Internet Protocol address renewal process.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 wherein the non-page-based message comprises an indication thatthe wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlinktraffic.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of automaticallyproviding the non-page-based message to the wireless mobile two-waycommunications platform occurs notwithstanding that there is no downlinktraffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communicationsplatform.
 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising: subsequent toproviding the non-page-based message, automatically causing the wirelessmobile two-way communications platform to effect at least one of theauthenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol addressrenewal process.